Multifuel Stoves That Also Do Gas

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Dave

Hill Dweller
Sep 17, 2003
6,019
9
Brigantia
I noticed is that the later one has a spring retainer for the little spreader thing in the middle of the burner - easy to get on and off, and stays attached to the stove.

Ive got the one I linked, and the spreader thing falling off can sometimes can be a pain.

I bet it doesnt list the 'ingredients' but it should be the right stuff im hoping.
 

bilmo-p5

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 5, 2010
8,168
9
west yorkshire
I'd say go with the standard Omnifuel, but being an Omni user, I would say that.

I have no experience of MSRs so I won't say anything on that. I haven't seen the Optimus Polaris but have owned & used several Optimus multifuellers and can't help but think that the 'one-jet-for-all' thingy will mean compromises somewhere along the line. The Omni II looks like a case of trying to fix something that ain't bust. Stowing the alternative jets on the leg is a backward step IMO; It increases the chance of losing them and leaves them wide open, literally, to getting grunged up. The spring retainer for the flame spreader is ok but does nothing that a simple piece of wire can do except cost more. The whole leg /potrest assy looks more flimsy than the original but that may not be the case.
It is also a simple tweak to make the Omni run on meths/alcohol should the need arise but this is not recommended by the makers.
The most difficulty I have when changing jets on the Omni is reading the sizes on the jets, particularly when they have been well used. The gas jet is easy to check by inspection as it's a huge hole, but the paraffin & petrol jets are not so easy to tell apart that way.
 
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rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
Ian, three little dinky zip lock bags solve the jet issue.

The ETA pots make a massive difference in boil times

[video=youtube;61rlrxcEX4M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61rlrxcEX4M[/video]
 
N

Nomad

Guest
Pump question - do people generally leave the pump fitted to the bottle, or is it better to take it out when not being used?

Ian, the spring on the spreader is also the retainer. There's no stress on the spreader itself - the other two legs hook onto the far side of the burner and the spring pulls down opposite them to hold it in place. When the spreader is removed for jet cleaning/changing, it dangles on the spring and stays attached to the stove.

The jets can, of course, be tightened up such that they don't fall off, or they can be removed and put into an alternative container if desired. They have little dimples on the main surface to indicate which is which. They're still a fiddle to see, but easier than the engraved numbers.
 

Big Si

Full Member
Dec 27, 2005
405
52
58
nottinghamshire
I'd say go with the standard Omnifuel, but being an Omni user, I would say that.

I have no experience of MSRs so I won't say anything on that. I haven't seen the Optimus Polaris but have owned & used several Optimus multifuellers and can't help but think that the 'one-jet-for-all' thingy will mean compromises somewhere along the line. The Omni II looks like a case of trying to fix something that ain't bust. Stowing the alternative jets on the leg is a backward step IMO; It increases the chance of losing them and leaves them wide open, literally, to getting grunged up. The spring retainer for the flame spreader is ok but does nothing that a simple piece of wire can do except cost more. The whole leg /potrest assy looks more flimsy than the original but that may not be the case.
It is also a simple tweak to make the Omni run on meths/alcohol should the need arise but this is not recommended by the makers.
The most difficulty I have when changing jets on the Omni is reading the sizes on the jets, particularly when they have been well used. The gas jet is easy to check by inspection as it's a huge hole, but the paraffin & petrol jets are not so easy to tell apart that way.

This man above has more experience than most, listen to him.

Si
 

Dave

Hill Dweller
Sep 17, 2003
6,019
9
Brigantia
Warning Folks!........Naptha is not sold over the counter in the UK as someone decided that it was carcinagenic!

So what is panel wipe then?

A quick google suggests that panel wipe can be naphtha or cellulose thinners?

Right contacted the seller, I have bought 'fast' panel wipe which lists as its ingredient, sbp3 petroleum mixture / the 'slow' pane wipe lists naphtha at less than 5% and trimethylbenzene also at less also 5% - but 50%-100% sbp3 petroleum mixture.

So I think any panel wipe which is made of petroleum distillates is basically the same and should work?
 
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Big Si

Full Member
Dec 27, 2005
405
52
58
nottinghamshire
I've been using this for the last two years! I would not recommend any one else to use it! But it works for me, I always use stoves in a well ventilated area.
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It works out at £1.50 per ltr inc Vat. But as I said use ut at your peril. ;)

Si
 

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N

Nomad

Guest
Here's the pouch/bag thing that came with my Omnifuel II.

A general view showing the size...

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The multi-tool and grease are in the top of the pocket, which is quite deep and covers most of the width. Its bottom is about half an inch below the top of the burner (might be able to see the seam). It's tall enough to just fit the windshield thing in its folded state. It's also wide enough to take the pump.

The closure is just a metal hook at one top corner, and a webbing loop at the other...

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When hooked in, it's like a dry bag closure...

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It could be rolled up a bit, but the fabric is pretty stiff, so maybe only one or two folds to still be able to hook the bits together.

Inside, there are no dividers, slots or the like - just one big rectangular bag (with no gusseting)...

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The pocket is too slim to fit the burner or the bottle, so it would seem that one is expected to just put the two big bits into the bag and let them bash against each other. The bag also strikes me as not being especially protective of the burner parts, especially the hose where it's attached to the burner. It's also not especially conducive to being rolled up, especially if the windshield is in the pocket.

I much prefer something like this...

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The box is one of those clip-lid types, and this one is 900ml from Morrisons. The fit is quite tight but everything does go in...

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The only downside with this particular box is that the hose needs to be unscrewed from the burner to get everything to fit nicely. Not a big deal, but I might experiment a bit more to see if I can get it in without doing that (maybe ditch the red bottle cap). The baccy tin contains the multi-tool, grease and a lighter, and has some room left for the spare jets if needed. It's a tin for flake pipe tobacco and is much smaller than the usual 2oz tins that are common for survival kits and the like.

The windshield doesn't fit in this box, but slips easily enough into a pocket in the brew kit bag. Ordinarily, I wouldn't use it, and if I did want to, I may well try to come up with something different that rolls up rather than folds.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
That's one of the nice things about the MSR stoves, (assuming they haven't redesigned the pouch). They fit inside their pots. I don't know about storing the fuel bottle inside my pack with everything else. I prefer to carry it on the outside of my pack.

J
 
N

Nomad

Guest
I've been using this for the last two years! I would not recommend any one else to use it! But it works for me, I always use stoves in a well ventilated area.
attachment.php


It works out at £1.50 per ltr inc Vat. But as I said use ut at your peril. ;)

Been looking at MSDS for this and panel wipe, and it seems that the brake & clutch cleaner contains detergents as well as naptha. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. I guess it might keep the stove internals clean, but might be less desirable to burn it and possibly cause long term damage to the seals?
 
N

Nomad

Guest
That's one of the nice things about the MSR stoves, (assuming they haven't redesigned the pouch). They fit inside their pots. I don't know about storing the fuel bottle inside my pack with everything else. I prefer to carry it on the outside of my pack.

Well, I don't want to be tied to any particular pot. It will fit into some that I have and not into others, so I reckon keeping the stove as a self-contained kit will work better for me. Easier to transfer from Land Rover brew kit (cheapo ally kettle and double-wall mugs, maybe a small pot), motorbike brew kit (unknown because I don't have a bike yet), and backpack if I decide to take it with me for a day (water bottle and single-wall mug).

If the bottle's packed vertically, I don't think I'd have an issue with it in the pack. It's probably worth keeping a rag in the stove kit for wiping off any dribbles on the bottle (especially paraffin - petrol evaporates quickly) to make sure it doesn't rub on other things (like waterproof coating) and possible damage or degrade them.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
Well, I don't want to be tied to any particular pot. It will fit into some that I have and not into others, so I reckon keeping the stove as a self-contained kit will work better for me. Easier to transfer from Land Rover brew kit (cheapo ally kettle and double-wall mugs, maybe a small pot), motorbike brew kit (unknown because I don't have a bike yet), and backpack if I decide to take it with me for a day (water bottle and single-wall mug).

If the bottle's packed vertically, I don't think I'd have an issue with it in the pack. It's probably worth keeping a rag in the stove kit for wiping off any dribbles on the bottle (especially paraffin - petrol evaporates quickly) to make sure it doesn't rub on other things (like waterproof coating) and possible damage or degrade them.

The main thing that seems to get on my fuel bottle is actually bacon fat... as the bottle is sat where the bacon tends to spit during breakfast...

The MSR stove in it's pouch will fit in some other pots. The pouch setup of the Primus Omnilite is one of the things that looks to be a weakness in the design.

Just waiting for payday...

J
 
N

Nomad

Guest
The pouch setup of the Primus Omnilite is one of the things that looks to be a weakness in the design.

Useless is what I'd call it.

Got the little 0.35L bottle for a rinky-dink version...

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Bottle fits into a normal-size double wall cup as well.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
That reminds me of an important question. Has anyone had any issues with petrol stations being funny about what colour of bottle they let you fill up? I've had petrol station staff run over to tell me I can't fill my bottles, then pointed out that they are fuel bottles, and they have the words "fuel bottle" on them, and they are fine. Just wondering if there is any operational difference between a red and a green bottle...

J
 

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